]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/09/august-8th-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/feed/0Going in Style Blu-ray Disc August 1st, 2017http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/07/going-style-blu-ray-disc-august-1st-2017/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/07/going-style-blu-ray-disc-august-1st-2017/#respondTue, 08 Aug 2017 03:57:12 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21100<p>Warner Home Video kicked off August with the Blu-ray release for Going in Style on August 1st, 2017. Theodore Melfi wrote the screenplay for this crime heist comedy film. The movie is loosely based on the 1979 film of the same name. The story follows retirees who plan to rob a bank after their pensions are cancelled. [&#8230;]</p>
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Warner Home Video kicked off August with the Blu-ray release for Going in Style on August 1st, 2017.

Theodore Melfi wrote the screenplay for this crime heist comedy film.

The movie is loosely based on the 1979 film of the same name.

The story follows retirees who plan to rob a bank after their pensions are cancelled.

The film received mixed reviews and grossed $84 million worldwide.

Going in Style the Movie

Joe, Willie, and Albert are senior citizens and lifelong friends living in New York, all former employees of a local steel plant.

During an appointment at his bank, Joe witnesses a robbery carried out by three individuals wearing black masks.

The robbers escape capture, taking over $1.6 million.

When the steel company they worked for is bought out by foreign interests, their pension fund become a casualty of the restructuring.

Joe’s mortgage is in arrears and the bank plans to foreclose in 30 days, leaving Joe, his daughter, and granddaughter homeless.

Willie is gravely ill from kidney failure and needs a transplant to live much longer.

All in desperate financial need, perhaps the answer lies in the robbing the bank that is helping their former employer steal their pension fund.

Going in Style – My Thoughts

The great thing about Going in Style is that it delivers on what it promises in the trailer.

We are promised a caper movie about three elderly men hatching a plan to rob a bank, and the movie gives us exactly that, with all the class and style you could hope for.

The mood is kept light throughout and the screenplay features a number of twists as the movie reaches its conclusion.

The casting is exceptional, with Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin doing their thing as lifelong friends, each with a different charm.

I have to say it is a pleasure seeing these three greats together in one film.

The mood of the film is typically light and fanciful, though there are scenes that artfully convey the weight of the situation these men find themselves in, with their pensions cancelled.

All in all I found the movie to be a delightful crime comedy, one that I recommend to folks looking for something fun but different from Hollywood’s typical fare.

Going in Style Cast, Crew and Performance

Along with Freeman, Caine, and Arkin, the cast includes Joey King, Matt Dillon, Christopher Lloyd, Ann-Margret and Peter Serafinowicz.

Going in Style Blu-ray Extras:

Deleted Scenes

Director Commentary by Zach Braff

Going in Style Blu-ray Synopsis:

Oscar winners Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin team up as lifelong buddies Willie, Joe and Al, who decide to buck retirement and step off the straight-and-narrow for the first time in their lives when their pension fund becomes a corporate casualty, in director Zach Braff’s comedy Going In Style.

]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/07/going-style-blu-ray-disc-august-1st-2017/feed/0Unforgettable Blu-ray Disc July 25th, 2017http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/06/unforgettable-blu-ray-disc-july-25th-2017/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/06/unforgettable-blu-ray-disc-july-25th-2017/#respondSun, 06 Aug 2017 22:30:43 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21088<p>Unforgettable is a new dark thriller unleashed by Warner Home Video with a July 25th, 2017 Blu-ray release. Christina Hodson wrote the screen play for this psychological thriller. The story follows a divorcée who begins to torment the new fiancé of her ex-husband. Things get out of hand when an abusive ex-boyfriend is thrown into the mix. [&#8230;]</p>
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Unforgettable is a new dark thriller unleashed by Warner Home Video with a July 25th, 2017 Blu-ray release.

Christina Hodson wrote the screen play for this psychological thriller.

The story follows a divorcée who begins to torment the new fiancé of her ex-husband.

Things get out of hand when an abusive ex-boyfriend is thrown into the mix.

Notably the movie has a female director and two female lead characters.

Unforgettable the Movie

The film opens with a battered and bruised Julia Banks being questioned in the murder of her psychotic ex-boyfriend Michael.

Julia is bewildered by instant-message conversations and other evidence indicating that Julia had invited him back into her life and home.

The film then cuts to six months earlier, where Julia is leaving her job in San Francisco to move in with her fiancée David Conover in Southern California.

At the house she meets David’s ex-wife Tessa, who is secretly having trouble coping with the end of her marriage.

David and Tessa’s daughter Lilly often brings Tessa into Julia’s life, and while Julia tries to be friends, Tessa remains cold and at times antagonistic.

When Julia then gets a notification that her restraining order against her abusive ex-boyfriend Michael has expired, she is upset and starts imagining that she sees him.

As Tessa’s determination to drive a wedge between Julia and David increases, she discovers Julia’s history with Michael, and hatches a plot to get rid of Julia once and for all!

Unforgettable – My Thoughts

Unforgettable is intended to be an intense thriller where a woman goes to extreme lengths to get her life back the way it was.

Unfortunately I don’t think that the final product lived up to the expectations of the cast and crew.

As with a number of films recently, the movie opens with a flash forward that reveals the future, and I am not sure that it was the best choice in this movie.

While designed to pique the audience’s interest, I think it gives away far too much.

As a result, the bulk of the movie featuring the events that lead up to it become quite slow and tedious.

Once we reach the showdown between the two women, the film delivers much closer to expectations, but unfortunately it takes a long time coming.

In a number of ways I feel like the movie could have been an important statement in modern Hollywood.

The story is very much about the two main female characters, and main male character feels like shallow eye candy.

This gender role reversal had a lot of promise, and would have been a great step forward for gender equality.

Under scrutiny here is the situation when a woman’s identity which is grounded in her relationship with a man.

Once the relationship fails, the woman is lost and fights to find herself in her new situation.

All in all it could have been a strong feminist piece had the film been stronger in the first two acts.

As it stands I think if you are willing to see it through, the film has its rewards, but many will give up long before the good part.

Unforgettable Blu-ray Extras:

Reclaiming What’s Yours: Making Unforgettable

Director’s Commentary

Deleted Scene with Commentary

Unforgettable Blu-ray Synopsis:

Heigl stars as Tessa Connover, who is barely coping with the end of her marriage when her ex-husband, David (Stults), becomes happily engaged to Julia Banks (Dawson) not only bringing Julia into the home they once shared but also into the life of their daughter, Lilly (Isabella Rice). Trying to settle into her new role as a wife and a stepmother, Julia believes she has finally met the man of her dreams, the man who can help her put her own troubled past behind her. But Tessas jealousy soon takes a pathological turn until she will stop at nothing to turn Julias dream into her ultimate nightmare.

]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/06/unforgettable-blu-ray-disc-july-25th-2017/feed/0August 1st Blu-ray Cover Art Galleryhttp://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/02/august-1st-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/02/august-1st-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/#respondThu, 03 Aug 2017 05:14:41 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21084<p>The release week August 1st Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for 2017 features top title Going in Style from Warner Home Video. Warner also has television titles Big Little Lies and Crashing: The Complete First Season from HBO Home Video on Blu-ray this week. Monster movie fans will love the new Shin Godzilla from FUNimation Productions. Lionsgate Home Entertainment [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/02/august-1st-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/">August 1st Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog">Blu-ray Stats News Log</a>.</p>The release week August 1st Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for 2017 features top title Going in Style from Warner Home Video.

]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/08/02/august-1st-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/feed/0Ghost in the Shell Blu-ray Disc July 25th, 2017http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/31/ghost-shell-blu-ray-disc-july-25th-2017/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/31/ghost-shell-blu-ray-disc-july-25th-2017/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 03:39:26 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21067<p>Ghost in the Shell is a key Blu-ray title released by Paramount Home Entertainment on July 25th, 2017. This science fiction action film was written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, and Ehren Kruger. The film is based on the Japanese manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow. The story is set in a near [&#8230;]</p>
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Ghost in the Shell is a key Blu-ray title released by Paramount Home Entertainment on July 25th, 2017.

This science fiction action film was written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, and Ehren Kruger.

The film is based on the Japanese manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow.

The story is set in a near future, when the line between humans and robots is blurred, and a cyborg supersoldier seeks out her past.

Ghost in the Shell the Movie

In the near future, a large number of humans are augmented with cybernetics, enhancing traits like vision and strength.

Hanka Robotics, a leading developer of augmentative technology, establishes a project to develop a mechanical body that can integrate a human brain.

Mira Killian is chosen as the test subject after her own body said to be damaged beyond repair.

The Hanka CEO Cutter decides to employ the new and improved Killian as a counter-terrorism operative.

A year later Killian has attained the rank of Major in the anti-terrorist bureau Section 9.

She works alongside agents Batou and Togusa, under their Chief Daisuke Aramaki.

However Killian experiences hallucinations that her designer Dr Ouelet dismisses as glitches, and becomes bothered by how little she remembers of her past.

After Hanka employees are targeted by a terrorist known only as Kuze, Killian breaks protocol in her quest to root him out.

However the expert hacker has even more tricks up his sleeve, including secrets that could change everything Killian has come to know as real.

Ghost in the Shell – My Thoughts

I was really looking forward to the Ghost in the Shell movie in the cinema, though the buzz was not so positive when the movie came out.

It didn’t help that the casting of Scarlett Johansson in an essentially Asian role drew accusations of whitewashing.

Not having seen the original anime or the manga, I figured that the movie would at least be a ‘gentle introduction’ to the story.

Ultimately I found the film to be a mixed bag, where the visual style, including effects and set design, practical effects and action sequences where outstanding.

The cinematography was imaginative throughout, though as the supplements revealed, was strongly influenced by that which came before.

Sadly the human connection and the story fell somewhat flat though, making the my introduction to the Ghost in the Shell a little too gentle.

Somehow the tension and energy you would expect from such a movie was quite lacking here, though it has given me the desire to seek out the anime version.

To be fair, Ghost in the Shell is a pretty solid action piece, with visuals and action sequences that are at times mind boggling.

However the idea of a live action version became so hyped that it was always going to be difficult to live up to it.

Ghost in the Shell Blu-ray Extras:

Hard-Wired Humanity: Making Ghost in the Shell

Section 9: Cyber Defenders

Man & Machine: The Ghost Philosophy

Ghost in the Shell Blu-ray Synopsis:

Scarlett Johansson is terrific in the visually stunning Ghost In The Shell, an action-packed adventure set in a future world where people are enhanced with technology. Believing she was rescued from near death, Major (Johansson) becomes the first of her kind: a human mind inside an artificial body designed to fight the war against cyber-crime. While investigating a dangerous criminal, Major makes a shocking discovery – the corporation that created her lied about her past life in order to control her. Unsure what to believe, Major will stop at nothing to unravel the mystery of her true identity and exact revenge against the corporation she was built to serve. Packed with heart pounding excitement, see the movie critics are calling a classic in the making.

]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/31/ghost-shell-blu-ray-disc-july-25th-2017/feed/0July 25th Blu-ray Cover Art Galleryhttp://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/26/july-25th-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/26/july-25th-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/#respondThu, 27 Jul 2017 05:55:57 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21062<p>The release week July 25th Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for 2017 features top title The Boss Baby from Fox Home Entertainment. You will also find The Boss Baby 3D and a 4K Ultra HD release for The Boss Baby from Fox this week, along with the movie Gifted. The other big title this week is Ghost in the Shell from [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/26/july-25th-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/">July 25th Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog">Blu-ray Stats News Log</a>.</p>The release week July 25th Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for 2017 features top title The Boss Baby from Fox Home Entertainment.

]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/26/july-25th-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/feed/0Kong Skull Island Blu-ray Disc July 18th, 2017http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/24/kong-skull-island-blu-ray-disc-july-18th-2017/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/24/kong-skull-island-blu-ray-disc-july-18th-2017/#respondTue, 25 Jul 2017 05:56:38 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21051<p>Kong: Skull Island is a new key Blu-ray title released by Warner Home Video on July 18th, 2017. Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly wrote the screenplay from a story by John Gatins. The film is a reboot of the King Kong franchise and is the second film in Legendary&#8217;s &#8216;MonsterVerse&#8217;. The story follows [&#8230;]</p>
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Kong: Skull Island is a new key Blu-ray title released by Warner Home Video on July 18th, 2017.

Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly wrote the screenplay from a story by John Gatins.

The film is a reboot of the King Kong franchise and is the second film in Legendary’s ‘MonsterVerse’.

The story follows a team of scientists and Vietnam War soldiers who encounter terrifying creatures on an uncharted island.

Kong: Skull Island the Movie

The film opens in 1944 where two World War II fighter pilots parachute onto an island in the South Pacific after a dogfight.

They engage in close combat, but the fight is interrupted when they are discovered by a massive ape like creature known as Kong.

Fast forward to 1973, as the U.S. is pulling out of Vietnam.

Monarch agent Bill Randa recruits a team for an expedition to map out a previously undiscovered island known as Skull Island.

Their military escort is a Vietnam War helicopter squadron led by Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard.

The group is joined by pacifist and photojournalist Mason Weaver, who believes the expedition is a secret military operation.

Upon arrival at Skull Island the air unit is attacked by Kong, who downs the helicopters, killing a number of the team.

The survivors are scattered across the island, needing to regroup to survive and make it to the pick up point.

While the team largely just wants to get off the island alive, Packard is determined to destroy Kong as pay pack for killing his men.

However on Skull Island, there are many surprises lurking, and Kong may well not be the ultimate enemy.

Kong: Skull Island – My Thoughts

Kong: Skull Island is a re-imagining of the King Kong narrative, with a number of different goals in mind.

Rather than retell the ‘beauty and the beast’ story line which has dominated Kong movies, a key goal here was to wrap Kong into the Legendary Films ‘MonsterVerse’.

The first film in the series was Godzilla, and while this is not a direct sequel, there were definitely tie-ins at the end that sets the scene for the future.

All in all Kong: Skull Island is a pretty solid entry into the action genre, with a lot of battles between giant beasts, as well as men and beasts.

The movie has used state of the art CGI, with battles involving water and fire, along with the massive creatures.

There is also some attempt at subtext throughout the film, raising the question of who or what is the real enemy.

Visually the movie goes a lot of interesting places, with imaginative compositions and camera placement.

The film rather cleverly walks the line, delivering solid action but retaining the human angle that is often missing from these huge summer movies.

Kong Skull Island Blu-ray Synopsis:

A washed up monster chaser convinces the U.S. Government to fund a trip to an unexplored island in the South Pacific. Under the guise of geological research, the team travels to “Skull Island”. Upon arrival, the group discover that their mission may be complicated by the wildlife which inhabits the island. The beautiful vistas and deadly creatures create a visually stunning experience that is sure to keep your attention.

]]>http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/12/july-11th-blu-ray-cover-art-gallery/feed/0CHIPS Blu-ray Disc June 27th, 2017http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/03/chips-blu-ray-disc-june-27th-2017/
http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2017/07/03/chips-blu-ray-disc-june-27th-2017/#respondMon, 03 Jul 2017 18:54:07 +0000http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/?p=21029<p>June 27th, 2017 marked the arrival of the Warner Home Video Blu-ray release for the buddy cop film CHIPS. Dax Shepard wrote the screenplay for this action comedy, based on the 1977–1983 television series of the same name. The movie imagines an origin story for the main characters and takes CHIPS into the R Rated comedy [&#8230;]</p>
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June 27th, 2017 marked the arrival of the Warner Home Video Blu-ray release for the buddy cop film CHIPS.

Dax Shepard wrote the screenplay for this action comedy, based on the 1977–1983 television series of the same name.

The movie imagines an origin story for the main characters and takes CHIPS into the R Rated comedy realm.

It received largely negative reviews from the critics and went on to earn $25 million worldwide.

CHIPS the Movie

An FBI agent named Castillo goes undercover to arrest the criminal that killed his partner.

Meanwhile, a former freestyle motocross racer named Jon Baker is allowed to graduate for the California Highway Patrol on a probationary basis.

Jon is beginning a new career after his body has been left damaged in his many motocross accidents, in order to heal his relationship with his wife.

Agent Castillo goes undercover at the CHP as Francis Poncherello after an armored car robbery.

The goal of the FBI is to find out if there are corrupt cops working in the department in relation to the robbery.

Ponch is partnered with the rookie Baker, who has no idea about the corruption investigation.

Together the two misfits have to find a way to work together to bring down the bad guys while staying alive and keeping their jobs.

CHIPS – My Thoughts

CHIPS is a mixed bag of a comedy that will be largely unrecognizable as the television show from the late seventies.

The movie is set in Los Angeles with the CHP and features characters named Jon and Ponch.

Beyond that however there are few similarities.

Dax Shepard has amped up the concept with high octane action and high end motorcycles.

Perhaps the deciding factor for most will be the shift to R Rated comedy.

The movie features extensive adult content to earn it’s rating.

This includes a wide range of crass jokes, largely based around Ponch’s sex addiction and aversion to male contact.

Certainly the original CHIPS show would be hard pressed to hold one’s attention for a feature length movie.

However the inclusion of crass jokes may well be too much for fans of the original show.

For myself, I quite enjoyed the movie, which has some laugh out loud scenes and solid action sequences.

CHIPS Cast, Crew and Performance

The cast features Dax Shepard and Michael Pena in the lead roles, along with Rosa Salazar, Adam Brody, Richard T. Jones, Kristen Bell, Vincent D’Onofrio and Merrin Dungey.

CHIPS Blu-ray Extras:

This Is Not Your Dad’s CHIPS

Practical Pursuit

Ducati: The Perfect Bike

Deleted Scenes

CHIPS Blu-ray Synopsis:

Jon Baker (Dax Shepard) and Frank Ponch Poncherello (Michael Pena) have just joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Los Angeles but for very different reasons. Baker is a beaten-up pro motor biker trying to put his life and marriage back together. Poncherello is a cocky undercover Federal agent investigating a multi-million dollar heist that may be an inside job inside the CHP. The inexperienced rookie and hardened pro are teamed together, but clash more than click, so kickstarting a partnership is easier said than done. But with Bakers bike skills combined with Ponch’s street savvy it might just work if they don’t drive each other crazy along the way.